Past Square-Back Ferraris and the Original FF

Hip to be Square

The FF is certainly not the first square-back Ferrari, but the rest have been ex-works conversions built (primarily) for ridiculously wealthy people who call them "shooting brakes." It's an affectation, like pronouncing a vase vahz after spending too much money on it.

1951 212 Export Fontana Giardinetta
Chassis number 0086E wore four different body designs in its first few years of life. The first was a homely racing body by Fontana of Padua, in which it won its inaugural Tour of Sicily race. Next Vignale did a Spyder body that was quickly converted by Fontana to a wagon back for ferrying spare parts in support of the November 1951 Carrera Panamericana race in Mexico. Months later, it received new Fontana Spyder bodywork.

Photo by Winston Goodfellow

1961 Ferrari 250 GT "Breadvan"
The only thing this one hunted was Enzo's 250 GTO. In the "palace revolt" of 1961, engineers Bizzarrini, Chiti, and others left Ferrari to start their own company and help Count Volpi's racing team. This prompted Enzo to cancel Volpi's order for two GTOs, so Volpi's team converted a 250 SWB to better-than-GTO spec, lowering the roof and giving it an aerodynamic Kamm-tail -- all in just 14 days. It ultimately proved faster but less reliable than the Ferraris.

1965 Ferrari 330 GT Vignale
Now we get to the rich-guy conversions. This car spent two years as a red-over-beige 330 GT, then U.S. importer Luigi Chinetti's son, Coco, and commercial artist Bob Peak penned this peculiar design with long overhangs and grillwork over the headlamps. Alfredo Vignale built the car, changing every body panel, and displayed it at the 1968 Turin show.